Ulcer or growth over Koi's eye, any ideas?

[kmarcel]

I have a koi that has some type of growth over his right eye. I first noticed it last year, but it looks like It's gotten worse in the last couple of months.. Several weeks ago I treated the pond with Melafix and that's when it looked worse -almost as if it was going to fall off. It's almost like some kind of skin that is loose and moves in the water. Now I am treating the pond with both Melafix and Pimafix together, which I just started yesterday. He is acting fine, eating good and swimming around as usual.

Whatever form of treatment I do it has to be in the pond as I have no where to isolate him and not comfortable doing salt baths or handling him in any way, if I could even catch him. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[JohnHuff]

Sorry to hear about your fish. I feel for you.
I've had fish problems and I've read a lot of posts on forums which seem to indicate that Melafix and Primafix don't work. My experience with them is I can't tell if they work or not.
All the reading I've done indicates that it's always water quality that is causing these problems. My suggestions are to:
1) Ensure that your water quality is good.
2) Put your fish in a different enclosure, maybe a kiddie pool. Whatever measures you take, I think it's difficult to medicate the entire pond. My LFS owner is a great believer in salt baths and that's always the remedy that he suggests.
3) This is the most detailed treatment advice I've found on the web: http://www.pondexperts.ca/pond-advice-tips/how-treat-ulcers-in-koi-goldfish/
Please let us know what you plan to do and the results.

 

[kmarcel]

Thanks, JohnHuff. That's discouraging about the Melafix and Pimafix. I really was hoping to treat in the current pond, as I said I have no where else to treat it. I will look into the food with medicine in it.

I'm not sure ulcer would be the correct description as it's not a hole in the fish, but more a protrusion, if that makes sense. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[JohnHuff]

Would you dare to cut the growth off? I daresay it's not something that's good for the fish. And if it isn't cut off it will have to be absorbed back into the body or fall off.

 

[kmarcel]

I don't think I have the nerve to do that. It does let me hand feed him and I feel like grabbing it because it moves around when it's swimming so it seems as though it wants to fall off. I was hoping that the reason it looks worse is because I'm treating the pond and maybe it's ready to fall off. But it may look worse because it's getting worse.

I was really hoping that there was something out there more effective than the Melafix and Pimafix that I could use and treat the whole pond.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

just to clarify....is it on his eye or on his face near the eye?

 

[Dave 54]

I've seen something like this before on one of my own koi especcially when it involves the nasal area of the koi, like this appears to be .
The infection was caused by something getting stuck in the nasal passage, koi just love grubbing around and they can get things stuck accidentlally ours was found to have a small pebble stuck in there .
Is there a dealer near you that could anethatize you koi and take a look if there is anything stuck in there ?
If not would you feel confident enough to put your koi under anesthetic and take a look yourself ?

rgrds

Dave

 

[kmarcel]

It's near his nose and eye, but not on or in either. I would say it's on it's face, so I don't think it has anything to do with nasal passage. I do not feel comfortable doing anything where I need to handle the fish, as I have never done anything like that before.

I would really prefer to treat in the pond with either some type of pond treatment or food that people on this site have tried and found successful.

I'm not aware of anyone who I could call.

 

[Dave 54]

Thats not a problem if you dont feel capable and you feel its not in the nasal passage I'll go with that.
I would however get some form of treatment going (not Melafix) in the not to distant future because of the very site of this infection, in between the eye and the nose.
I was thinking perhaps you could have gone to the koi dealers that sold you the koi in the first place to take a look at what the problem may be, they have to have a working knowledge of koi.
Try to remember though these beautiful creatures can live to be 80 years or more old if properly looked after.
Here in the UK as a koi's owner you have would have a duty of care as to its health and well being and be liable for prosicution if we didnt, that is why many of us have a working knowledge of our koi and goldfish.


rgrds


Dave

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I had a fancy goldfish (oranda) some years ago that had a weird growth on his face (not an injury) It kinda looked like a chunk of califlower. It started small but ended up growing pretty big. Just kinda hanging on the front of his face. Never did get it diagnosed or removed but it didn't affect his health at all, only his looks.

I have some pictures of it but I'm not at home right now. I'm wondering if its the same thing?

 

[HARO]

There is a variety of goldfish, the Narial Boquet, that has two growths around the nasal openings (nares) that look like cauliflower.
John

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Yes, Pompom goldfish have the growths

 

[bettasngoldfish]

This was in the beginning stages.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Then as it grew

 

[bettasngoldfish]